


trespassing and other semantics

by Spooks (agonizer)



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Noir AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-19 16:05:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13707897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agonizer/pseuds/Spooks
Summary: Private investigator Ryan and long-suffering officer Madej, a drabble.





	trespassing and other semantics

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dis4daria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dis4daria/gifts).



“Breaking and entering is against the law.”

Ryan freezes mid-step—he had been careful: he has barely touched the police tape outside the door, he has made sure to keep his flashlight aimed at the floor so no one outside the house could catch some stray light, he has been quiet as a cat, thankyouverymuch, and yet—

For a split second, he considers his options: he could make a run for it, he could turn and charge, or, well. He could play this by ear. He raises his arms over his head in surrender, and turns around slowly, only to squint uncomfortably against a flashlight turned on him. 

Ryan flashes his most winning smile, and squinting through his fingers against the light, tries to make out the other person.

“I mean, I’m basically really just trespassing,” he points out, with a slight shrug, and what it gets him in return is a heavy sigh and the flashlight lowers.

“The only reason you’re ‘trespassing’ instead of breaking and entering is because the lock has been kicked in five days ago,” the voice behind the flashlight points out, with a certain amount of annoyed exasperation, “And yet I can arrest you for either, Bergara.” 

“Oh,” Ryan makes, as his eyes slowly adjust to the new light setting, then flashes another grin, “It’s good to see you, Officer Madej.” 

They know each other: as a private eye, run-ins with the local law enforcement cannot be helped, and from what Ryan’s gathered, Madej is on the track to becoming a detective, working his way up, so of course they both occasionally meet at crime scenes. As you do.

“What are you doing here, Bergara?” Madej sounds annoyed, but he’s also not waving handcuffs at him yet, so… 

“Trespassing?” Ryan tries with another smile, and all it gets him from the other man is a Look, capital L, and he considers his possible answers, before he huffs, finally. “My client believes she saw the deceased through this window _two days_ after he was murdered, and none of the police are looking into it, so—”

“What client? Mrs Zarkovski? The woman has lost so many marbles, you should be _tripping_ over them every time you go talk to her,” Madej shoots back, both eyebrows raised—and Ryan’s heated, but he still has to bite back a laugh.

“Alright, yes, she’s a little bit—” Ryan’s hunting for the right words, purses his lips, “Something, yes. But that doesn’t mean you can just ignore what she saw.” 

“We’re not _ignoring_ it. We gave it due thought and decided that… she was nuts,” Officer Madej replies, with a shrug, and this time it’s Ryan who glares at him.

“Truly, the police, our friend and ally, the LA’s finest doing what they do best—”

Ryan cuts off only when he hears a car stop outside the house, and he gives Shane a suspicious look.

“That’ll be my partner,” Madej says, and he worries his lower between his teeth, while Ryan looks anxious for the first time since getting caught red-handed. Despite everything, despite the fact that Officer Madej has had plenty of chances and due reason to cuff him, he never has—his partner is not going to afford him even remotely the same courtesy.

Neither of them speak for a few moments. Officer Madej grimaces. There are several ways to making detective – hard work, sucking up, nepotism, bribery… 

None of them involve letting nosy private eyes poke around crime scenes and letting them get away with it. 

Internally, he groans. “There’s a backdoor. If you open the door to the inside, the crime tape is at chest height, you can get out without disturbing it,” Madej says, quickly and in a hushed whisper, and Ryan sighs in relief, his shoulders visibly sagging with the tension draining out of him.

‘ _Thank you_ ,’ Ryan mouths at him, and flashes him a broad, earnest smile, before he quickly, quietly sneaks out the back.

“You owe me one,” Officer Madej whispers at his retreating form, and Ryan chuckles noiselessly and winks at him over his shoulder, and then he’s gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Because I've not had time to do much writing at all lately, this little drabble makes the move over here--the AU I keep telling myself I won't write. Or... might. Written for Dasha, for being wonderful <3


End file.
